Lover Come Back
by midnight-cat
Summary: My take on vol. 8 of the manga. After being dumped by Yuki, Shuichi breaks all ties with both him and N-G. With K's help, the band negotiates a deal with XMR to take the US by storm. Crossover with AU modern-day Naruto. YxS, SxOC, other pairings
1. Goodbye

_Well, here we are – my __**third**__ Gravitation story! As promised, this pretty much revolves around the events that happened in Vol. 8 of the manga. I kept some original dialogue in, while adding a unique spin to things. If you love reading about an empowered, takes-no-shit Shuichi, then you've come to the right place! I had to make my sister promise that when she read volumes 8-9 to not take a knife to my manga. Like me, she hates to see Shuichi mistreated! To some of you, Shu's actions may seem a little OOC, but I like to think that this would be the reaction of a person who's fed up with being mistreated by people. But that's just my take, ne?_

_This story will kinda be a crossover with an AU, modern-day Naruto. I'll temporarily be borrowing some of Kishimoto-san's  
characters – hope he doesn't mind!_

_I'm still working on my other Gravitation stories, as well as additional fanfic that I'm creating. So no worries there! This was written as a way to get my creative juices flowing again. I'm in the process of writing the chapters for TBYNH and LFANL, so expect an update soon!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ If I did own Gravitation, I'd be hella rich and probably not writing fanfics. checks bank account Nope, I'm still not rich, so I don't own Gravitation._

* * *

"_**The hottest love has the coldest end." - Socrates**_

Tohma looked over at Shuichi as he sat on the couch. He allowed no hint of his true feelings to show as he looked at the younger man. "So, how did it go? I want all the dirt on your excursion with Eiri-san!"

Shuichi glanced up at his boss, confused as to where the conversation was going. Although, with it not being too long since Yuki's release from the hospital, he couldn't say he was too surprised. "Really? Uh, okay...! It was fun."

"That's excellent. It will make a nice memory for you. It should keep you from being so lonely."

Shuichi felt a pulse of alarm at Seguchi's words. Sure he was smiling, but he knew that it hid a deadly surprise – one that was just waiting to be unleashed on him. Deciding to play along, he said, "Yeah, I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven."

"Well now that it's over, I forbid you from seeing Eiri-san _ever_ again."

Shuichi couldn't help the widening of his eyes when he heard. Anger started bubbling deep in his veins at once again having his life dictated for him. For now though, it was best to play the part of the fool to see how far things would go. "Hey, wait a minute. You had me going there, Seguchi-san. Nice poker face."

"I'm not joking. I want you to disappear from Eiri-san's life immediately. You're nothing but an intruder. You may think that you have Eiri-san all to yourself…but dear, sweet Yuki belongs to me. I'm sorry if you got the wrong impression. If you insist on carrying on with this little charade…then I suggest you think about to whom you owe the success of Bad Luck."

Teeth grinding together, Shuichi fought to keep his temper. _You fucking, sanctimonious son of a bitch! I __**knew**__ you'd bring that up. Why am I the only one around here always taking shit because of Yuki?!_

The door to Tohma's office slammed open, catching both Hiro and K off guard. Shuichi stormed out, his head lowered so that they couldn't see his face clearly. Hiro noticed his friend's darkening mood and steered him away from Tohma's office. Glancing back at K, he knew what the man was thinking. K had a plan, he was certain of it. Whether it would be good or bad was still up in the air. After successfully maneuvering Shuichi to the lobby, Hiro sat down on the couch next to his friend. Shuichi sat next to him, his head cradled in his hands. It hurt him to see Shuichi reduced to this, and all over a man who he at times wondered if he even cared about his friend.

"What should I do? What should I do? What?! This is…this is blackmail! This means…this means that he's forcing me to choose either the band or Yuki, right?!"

"Yeah, it's a pretty sickening game he's got going. This kind of thing…really pisses me off. Shuichi, listen…stay with Yuki-san. Seriously, we'll tell N-G to fuck themselves."

Shuichi looked over at Hiro, shocked by his friend's words. "Hiro, are you serious?!" He had to admit it was really tempting to just follow Hiro's advice. But he felt cheated at having to sacrifice everything that Bad Luck had worked for all in the name of keeping his relationship with Yuki. "Let's calm down and think this out…okay? Let's not make any rash decisions. Let me talk to Yuki first, and ask about Seguchi-san…to his face. It's the only way to be sure!"

* * *

Shuichi tried to calm his breathing as he entered the apartment. Noticing that Yuki's office door was ajar, he walked towards it, rehearsing what he wanted to ask his lover. Yuki sat with his back facing Shuichi as he typed away at another of his novels. His breathing quickened as Yuki finally turned around, sensing that he wasn't alone. "There's something that I wanted to ask you…"

"You're back early, so most likely…you haven't eaten yet, have you?"

Shuichi stammered as he watched Yuki walk past him, "Uh…well…no…it's not that. I wanted to ask you…"

"I know, I know. You don't have to go on about it. You want to eat, right? I'll make something for you."

Getting nowhere fast, Shuichi followed Yuki into the kitchen. Deciding to take another approach, he tried making small talk about Seguchi to see how Yuki would respond. "Yuki! H-how's S-seguchi-san these days?"

Yuki glanced up quizzically as he heard Shuichi's question. "Huh? Why're you asking me?"

Sensing danger as he replied to Yuki's question, "Uh…you know! It always seems like you and Seguchi-san get along so well…"

Yuki seemed disturbed by this. "After all this time, what would give you the assumption that we get along?"

Seeing Yuki's reaction began to give Shuichi hope. Maybe it was just all in Seguchi's mind, so he had nothing to worry about. "Well, I mean, he _is_ your brother-in-law, after all. He seems like he knows so much about you."

"Of course he knows all about me. We lived together in the U.S. He witnessed my nasty little habits firsthand. The guy's got an attention to detail, too. He probably knows how many hairs I have on my head."

And just as quickly as it rose, Shuichi's hope sank. They had lived together?

"In reality, he's the one who took me to New York in the first place. He took care of me, set me up with a place to crash. And he's the one who introduced Kitazawa to me, too. I acted like we were joined at the hip, sometimes."

Before he could stop and think about what he was saying, Shuichi shouted, "Why aren't you pissed off at Seguchi-san? It's because he took you to New York and introduced you to that guy…that's why all those horrible things happened to you!"

"That's enough, Shuichi! I'm not sure what you're getting at, but this is as far as it goes. I've had enough. Why would I hold any of that against Seguchi? It's because of _him_ that I've made it this far. _He _made me a success. _He's special_. He's different from you…understand?"

Shuichi stiffened as though he'd just been slapped. Well, there was the answer he'd been waiting for, right? "I see…in other words, Seguchi-san is someone special to you, and I'm not. I get the picture now, Yuki. I just can't compete against him, can I? Compared to him, I'm just trash, nothing more!" Feeling the tears welling up, he turned and ran out of the apartment, ignoring Yuki as he called out to him.

* * *

_Later that day at a taping of a television show, Shuichi revealed what had happened. When he told them that he hadn't yet made up his mind about whom to pick, they were flabbergasted to say the least. They thought for certain that he'd pick Yuki. Hiro even pulled him aside and told him that he had to ask Yuki how he felt. Otherwise, he'd never know and agonize over it forever. Which led him to his current location at a bar where he'd found both Yuki and Seguchi. Once again, Seguchi threatened to use his power to blacklist Shuichi and his band. When Yuki reprimanded Seguchi, Shuichi thought that Yuki was defending him. Then came the punch line delivered by Yuki. "You told me you did all this so I could get Shuichi out of my life, didn't you? You were doing me a favor because I was sick of babysitting this punk. Didn't I say that, Seguchi? You're the only one who understands me."_

Shuichi couldn't believe it. This was just _too_ fucking rich! Embarrassment and shame rippled through him at what had just happened. Here he was just having been dumped by Yuki, in public no less, and his ex was now acting all buddy-buddy with his boss. Fists clenching, he decided right then that this was the last straw. So why not go out with a bang? He saw K smirk and nod slightly at him from the corner of his eye. Whatever he did, however scandalous, he knew that he could count on K to support him. That thought empowered him; made him feel as though he could take anything or anyone on. This was how Yuki wanted things to be? Well, fucking fine! So bring it on bitches, 'cause Shuichi was ready for a fight!

_I guess I didn't hear you right.  
Did you say that you were leaving me?  
You really must be feeling bad,  
to say those kinds of things to me.  
I'm sorry that you feel that way.  
Because I ...  
thought that we really had it made.  
That you and I were gonna last.  
I guess it's fair to let you know._

Noticing the dark aura that started to emanate from Shuichi, people began edging away from him, not knowing what he was capable of. He stalked over to where Yuki stood next to Seguchi. Pink bangs framed violet eyes, shading the pain that their owner felt. Anger, sadness and betrayal all swirled together to create a dangerous mixture. Right now Shuichi couldn't trust that he wouldn't say something that he'd later regret. So he decided to let his fists do the talking for him. Normally Shuichi would never, could never, imagine himself laying even one finger on Yuki. But now, right then, all he felt was a deep sense of disgust, not only at Yuki, but at himself for allowing Yuki to use him for so long.

_You're nothing without me.  
I wouldn't walk out that door.  
Or you may find out the hard way,  
just what love is for.  
You're nothing without me.  
You'll never fall in love again.  
Because there's only one me and you.  
Why pretend?_

Yuki had no warning as his head flew violently to the side, wincing as he felt the skin of his lip split apart. Raising a hand to wipe away the blood, he glanced over to see who had decked him, gold eyes narrowed coldly. To his surprise there stood Shuichi, blood splattered on the knuckles of his left hand. To say he was shocked would have been one hell of an understatement. This was Shuichi we were talking about! Shuichi didn't make it a habit to go around punching people. Now all he could do was stare as Shuichi glared hatefully at him, a crowd of curious onlookers clustered around them. Great, this was just what he fucking needed. "What was that for, brat? Is it my fault now that you can't handle the truth?"

_So you wanna be someone new?  
You want to go and have a ball?  
The party's been missing you.  
Baby can't you hear them call?  
Well I won't stand in your way.  
I just want to ...  
give you a little free advice.  
I'd like to help you help yourself.  
Save you some trouble on the way._

"Shut the fuck up, Yuki!" Shuichi spat, his eyes never leaving Yuki's face. "I'm so fucking sick and tired of being played like one of your toys. I'm not your goddamned puppet! You don't even treat me like a human being. To you, I'm just some fucking mutt that you can just snap your fingers at and I'll just obediently come running. Well fuck that shit! What is my life to you, Yuki? Huh? Is it just some damned game to you? Answer me, goddamn it!"

Yuki stood there stunned, his eyes widening at each word that Shuichi shouted. Before he could say anything, he heard Tohma speak up.

"How dare you hit Eiri-san like that?! What gives you the right…" Before Tohma could finish his sentence, he felt the pain race up the side of his face. Bringing a hand to his jaw, he stared incredulously at his assailant. "You little bastard!" He seethed through clenched teeth.

_You're nothing without me.  
I wouldn't walk out that door.  
Or you may find out the hard way  
just what love is for.  
You're nothing without me,  
but the person that you used to be.  
Do you remember what a drag it was  
being so lonely?_

"Why don't you go fuck yourself, _Seguchi-san_!" Shuichi sneered.

K found that he was glad that he'd had the foresight to bring his video camera with him. Damn, he really wished he had some popcorn right now! This whole thing was just priceless to him. Who would've thought that Shuichi had it in him to not only slug Yuki, but Tohma as well? Chuckling to himself, he was proud of Shuichi. It took a lot of guts to stand up to people who'd been treating you like shit. He could only picture Shuichi's band mate's expressions once they viewed the tape. That alone sent him off into another fit of giggles making the people around him back away from the crazy man who was laughing to himself.

_You're nothing without me.  
I wouldn't walk out that door.  
Or you may find out the hard way  
just what love is for.  
You're nothing without me  
but a ship without a sail.  
Alone in the middle of a dead calm sea,  
standing still._

"Is that the only way the high-and-mighty Seguchi can handle people, by using threats and blackmail? Pathetic! Everything that's gone wrong with Yuki you've found some way to pin on me. I'm honestly surprised that you haven't found some way to blame Kitazawa on me as well! But I suppose that's more _your_ Achilles heel than mine, ne? Maybe it's time you opened your fucking eyes to see that Yuki never needed you! Oh, and by the way, you don't have to fire me, because I quit! And despite your petty threats, Bad Luck will find a new label and we'll be bigger and better just to spite you. 'Sides, it wasn't some big secret that you couldn't give a rat's ass damn about us; the only reason you even lifted a finger to help us was to keep your precious Yuki's little fuck toy happy, right? You might've helped to destroy my fucked up excuse of a relationship, but I will be fucking damned if I let you take away everything I've worked for!" He said nothing else as he exited the bar, the crowd parting to let him through; the bitterness of his words hung in the stale, smoky air, the bar so silent that you could have heard a pin drop.

_You're nothing without me  
but a person in a sad café.  
May I suggest dinner for one  
before you go on your way?_

K followed his singer out the door, pausing only to say, "I warned you, Tohma, about what would happen." Still chuckling, he got into the driver's side of the car. _Wonder how Tohma's going to handle the publicity fallout from __**that**__ little encounter? _"Where do you want to go, Shuichi?"

_I'm better off  
just pretending like I never really knew you.  
I gotta stop  
holding hands with a memory I'm feeling._

Shuichi glanced over at K, an incredulous look on his face. "Where do you think I want to go? I want to get my stuff from that bastard's house. After that, I'll either get a hotel room or crash at Hiro's place." Raising his hand to brush the hair from his eyes, he grimaced at the sight of Yuki's blood on his skin. _Well, too late to go back now. Is this what it's like to finally feel free, to have control of my life once again? I haven't had control since I first met Yuki and that was what, two years ago? Two years of my life wasted on that damned bastard! And for what…what have I gained from it? Yeah, I'm famous, but only because of Yuki. Everything that pertained to my career was done only to keep me happy, so Yuki wouldn't have a reason to bitch to Seguchi. Apparently my talent wasn't good enough to carry us alone. _He said nothing, eyes intent on watching the passing scenery outside of his window.

_I gotta say  
something's different about the way I see you lately.  
You feel the same.  
I can see it in your eyes our thing is changing.  
The blame won't fall  
on either side._

To his relief, he didn't spot Yuki's Mercedes in the driveway, meaning that he had time to get his things and get the fuck out of Dodge. Grabbing his keys out of his jeans pocket, he opened the door with K standing watch behind him. As he packed his things, he finally realized the small role that he had played in Yuki's life. I mean, come on! Who the fuck makes their lover sleep on the couch instead of the bed? Shuichi snorted, his mood darkening even further. He didn't need Yuki Eiri in his life and he was determined to prove it. After checking to make sure he had everything, he started carrying his stuff out to K's car. Two trips had all of his stuff packed into the trunk. Smirking, he got a sudden idea. "Hey, K, want some target practice?" He asked, holding up his key. Tossing the key up into the air, he watched as K fired his gun three times. When the key finally landed with a clinking noise, he picked it up, laughing as he noted the three precise holes now etched into the key. "I think that's sufficient enough as a parting gift, don't you, K?" He pitched the key onto the doormat, uncaring as to what happened to it. Getting into the passenger's side, he saw K looking at him. "I'm fine for right now, K, don't look so concerned. It'd probably be best for me to get booked into a hotel room for tonight; I don't want Seguchi's goons bothering Hiro about any of this."

_Can you feel it breaking into pieces underneath?  
Someone's gotta say it,  
it might as well be me.  
Goodbye, it wasn't right this time.  
Goodbye…_

K would glance over at Shuichi as he drove, unused to this type of behavior from Shuichi. Sure, he could act like a little drama queen at times, but this detached demeanor was beginning to worry him. He hadn't seen Shuichi shed a tear since they left the bar. A few minutes later he pulled into the parking lot of the Imperial Hotel, wanting to be certain that Shuichi was away from the public eye as much as he could manage. Shuichi seemed to be holding up relatively well, all facts considered, but even K knew that he would eventually crack. And there would be no telling how much Shuichi would be changed by it. Getting Shuichi's suitcases out of the trunk, he made a mental note to bring his things to Hiro's apartment.

_I should've known.  
There was always something that we were missing.  
I'm letting go of this.  
Even though it's hard, I know it's the best thing.  
Good intentions fall  
and there's nowhere to hide._

Walking into the sweeping entrance, Shuichi found that he was unable to find wonder in the splendid grandeur of the hotel. He said nothing, only watching silently as K made all of the arrangements. Once the key was in his hand, they made their way up to his room. Once on the Executive Floor, they found his room quickly. The room itself was spacious and airy, definitely not lacking in any of the amenities one could wish for. Shuichi sat down on the bed, his blank eyes following K's movements.

K sat Shuichi's luggage on the floor, his discerning eyes seeing the strain starting to show on the younger man's face. "Are you going to be okay, Shuichi?"

Shuichi said nothing at first, finally whispering, "What's okay? I don't know what I feel anymore."

K said nothing at that, not really knowing how to fix what was hurting Shuichi. The only thing that could help him now was time…and lots of it. "I'll be back tomorrow to see how you're doing, Shuichi. When I leave here tonight, I'll take your stuff over to Hiro's. Is that okay with you?" At the man's nod, he continued, "Get some sleep, Shuichi. You need it more than you know." He let himself out of the room, hoping that Shuichi didn't do something stupid to himself.

Reclining back onto the queen-sized bed, Shuichi finally gave into the tears he'd wanted to shed ever since he was dumped earlier in the evening. Salty trails of liquid poured down his face as his breath hitched with each sob. The depression he felt now hurt worse than when he'd been thrown out by Yuki not too long after he first moved in. His assault and rape, being left behind by Yuki…all of it paled in comparison to what he was experiencing now. Grabbing a tissue from the box on the nightstand, he wiped his eyes before blowing his nose. Feeling somewhat better, he reached for the remote, wanting nothing more than to watch mind-numbing television; anything to quiet the cacophony of emotions in his mind. As he flipped through the channels, he finally found an all-music channel. The sad, slow sound of the music hit him first before the heart wrenching lyrics did. _Depressing breakup music…this is more my style right now. You're preaching to the choir, girl – hold on and I'll sing along with you. I'm fairly certain that I know the words to heartache by now._

_How could the one I gave my heart to,  
break my heart so bad?  
How could the one that made me happy,  
make me feel so sad?  
Won't somebody tell me  
so I can understand?  
If you love me  
how could you hurt me like that?_

Getting back onto his feet, he walked over to where the mini bar was located. Right now all he wanted to do was to get shit-faced drunk and then curl up into the fetal position and await his inevitable hangover. It sounded good to him. He looked over his selection of poison. Hmmm…what was the preferred drink when one was depressed? Since he couldn't really hold his liquor, he had no idea. Spying a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey, he decided to go for the gold. If that wouldn't make him drunk, then no amount of alcohol would.

_How could the one I gave my world to,  
throw my world away?  
How could the one who said I love you,  
say the things you say?  
How could the one I was so true to,  
just tell me lies?  
How could the one I gave my heart to,  
break this heart of mine?  
Tell me…_

Holding the bottle in his hand, he walked back over to lie down on the bed. With his back propped up by soft, goose feather pillows, he raised the bottle to his face. "Hello, Jack, my name is Shuichi. Here's to getting acquainted with you. Cheers!" Raising the bottle in a mock salute, he preceded to get drunk off his ass.

_How could you be so cruel to me,  
when I gave you everything?  
All my love,  
all I had inside.  
How could you just walk out the door?  
How could you not love me anymore?  
I thought we had forever.  
I can't understand._

The half-empty bottle sat on the nightstand, condensation pooling onto the wooden surface. Shuichi was half-asleep, his glazed eyes fixed on the television. Every word she sang cut a painful wound in his already damaged heart. He didn't know what he'd do tomorrow, besides having a smashing hangover from his party with his newfound friend Jack. Let's review, shall we? Based on tonight's events, he no longer had a lover or a job. Yep, his life was now officially fucked up. All thanks to one manipulative, overbearing bastard. Hell, that was reason enough to him to get smashed off of his ass, if nothing else.

_How could you just walk out the door?  
How could you not love me anymore?  
I thought we had forever.  
I can't understand._

Rolling over onto his side, his hand clutched the pillow next to his head. His last memories of Yuki flashed through his mind, his sobs increasing with each moment that flickered like a slideshow. Everything he'd done for Yuki, only to hear him thanking Seguchi for breaking them apart. And here he was crying over the bastard. Even as he drifted off to sleep, he resolved to drive everything related to Yuki from both his life and mind. Tomorrow was another day, and there would be a new Shuichi when it dawned.

_How could the one I gave my heart to,  
(the one I gave my heart to)  
break my heart so bad?  
(break my heartttt)  
How could the one that made me happy,  
(you made me so happy)  
make me feel so sad?  
(you made me feel so sad)  
Won't somebody tell me  
(won't you tell me)  
so I can understand.  
If you love me  
(so I can understand)  
how could you hurt me like that?  
(how could you hurt meeee, ohhhhha) _

* * *

Well, minna, we've reached the end of Chapter 1. Okay, let's all lower the pitchforks and torches gently now. Man, when they say the shit has hit the fan, they weren't kidding! You know, people who've read my Gravitation stories this far might think that I enjoy making Yuki suffer. Yep, you got me. Okay, I will admit there were _some_ moments in the manga/anime that I didn't totally want to rip his head off. However, when I read vols. 8-9, all bets were off. To me, in my opinion, Yuki really needs to learn the value of the saying "You don't know what you've got until it's gone". And that's what I set about doing in each of my fanfics. Okay, in the next story that I'm writing, I don't anticipate that much suffering since it's kinda AU, but that doesn't mean there won't be angst.

Preview of Chapter 2: After dropping Shuichi off at the hotel, K contacts Sakano and Fujisaki and tells them to meet him at Hiro's apartment. What happens in the next two chapters will change lives in a big way.

Songs used in this chapter/inspired it are in the following order:  
Gravitation Theme 2 - Gravitation, Hypnotic Distortion – Gravitation, "You're Nothing Without Me" – Belinda Carlisle, "Goodbye" – Everlife and "The One I Gave My Heart To" – Aaliyah.


	2. Unwell

_Wow…it's nice to see that you like my new story! This makes me feel like I'm doing a good job then! Sorry for the lack of updates. First I pulled a muscle in my lower back and that didn't make sitting for long periods a very fun experience. Then I started having problems with my Internet connection, but I've gotten that resolved, so all is well! The only times that I could actually sit down and write were at work…when there were lulls in the computer lab, that is. So, I've been working on my updates for all three of my Gravitation stories. Hopefully, you've stayed with me thus far!_

_**Disclaimer: **__I still don't own Gravitation or its characters, although I do read the manga in the aisle at Barnes and Noble! All characters are property of Maki Murakami and Masashi Kishimoto._

* * *

_**It's the friends you can call up at four a.m. that matter. – Marlene Dietrich**_

Back in his car, K pulled out his cell phone. After listening to it ring for a few minutes, a man's voice finally answered. "Sakano, it's K. Listen, I want you to get a hold of Fujisaki and meet me at Hiro's house. We've got a situation with Shuichi that's going to need all of our attention." He sighed as the man naturally went into hysterics. "Sakano, calm down and keep your damned head together! This is serious…what happened tonight will affect Bad Luck's career, not to mention Shuichi's sanity." After getting the man's reassurance, he hung up the phone and put the car into gear. Deep down, even though he didn't show it, he was pissed at how they'd treated Shuichi. The kid gave and gave but got nothing in return. If things turned out the way he hoped, soon Shuichi and Bad Luck would get the well-deserved recognition they deserved.

He pulled up into the entrance to Hiro's house. He idly wondered if he was going to have to restrain Hiro from going and beating the shit out of Yuki. Personally, he really didn't give a damn if Hiro whaled on him…but then there'd be the drag of bailing him out of jail. As he got out of the car, he saw the door to Hiro's house open. Hiro stood in the doorway and K could make out the faint outline of Ayaka standing behind him. He could have crowed right then upon seeing her there. This would _definitely_ help make his plan go easier. Although loyal to Yuki in the past, Ayaka had grown fond of Shuichi. "Hiro, could you give me a hand? I need to bring Shuichi's things inside." K would have sworn he felt the air chill as he saw Hiro's eyes narrow.

Hiro waited until he was standing next to K to state what he wanted to say. "So the bastard kicked him out, huh? Guess things didn't go smoothly tonight then." He almost dropped one of Shuichi's suitcases when he heard what K had to tell him. "You're shitting me, right? _Shuichi's_ the one who up and left?!"

K nodded, smirking back at Hiro. "I've got tonight's events all on video, Hiro-kun. On my way here I called Sakano and told him to bring Fujisaki with him. Once you see what went down, you'll have a better understanding of why he left. Plus, I've got some things that I need to discuss with all of you." Seeing headlights pull up behind him, he turned around. "Oh good, looks like everyone's here! Let's finish getting Shuichi's stuff in the house, Hiro."

* * *

Once everyone was settled, K turned and looked at his audience. Hiro, Ayaka and Sakano sat on one couch, while Fujisaki and Ryuichi (who had come with Sakano) sat on another. "As you know, I accompanied Shuichi when he went to ask Yuki-san how he really felt about him. Needless to say, things did _not_ go very well. Tohma did his usual spiel about blacklisting Bad Luck and then Yuki-san stepped in. At first, I thought he was defending Shuichi, but well…maybe you should just watch the DVD instead." He popped in the DVD and pressed play. Standing to the side, he observed their reactions as they watched the events of the night unfold. Hiro looked like he wanted to murder both of the blondes on the screen and Ayaka placed a hand on his arm to try and calm him down. She looked upset as well. Sakano was for once not going into hysterics. He looked completely shattered, as though someone had told him the Easter bunny wasn't real. Apparently he hadn't seen this side of his boss. Fujisaki looked calm and K knew that was because he wasn't shocked by his cousin's behavior. Hell, the kid had probably expected it all along. Finally he looked at Ryuichi and saw that he had his serious face on. That could only mean that a certain keyboardist was going to get his ass royally chewed out later on. Ryuichi respected Shuichi and didn't like to see him abused in any manner. The DVD soon came to a close and K silently shut it off.

"Those fucking bastards…who in the fuck do they think they are?!" Hiro swore as he got up and started pacing. He stopped suddenly and looked over at K. "K-san, where is Shu right now? Please tell me he's somewhere safe."

K nodded as he replied, "I booked him into a room on the Executive Floor of the Imperial Hotel. When I left him he was like a zombie. Even on the way to the hotel he never cried once. What they've done has totally demoralized him. Quite frankly I'm not sure if he'll hold up through it or not. That's why I'm about to announce a possibility for Bad Luck to embark on. Reiji from XMR has expressed an interest in gaining Bad Luck to her label. This would be your chance to break into the American market and possibly beyond. You'd have to move to the US…New York to be exact. What does everyone think?"

Everyone just gaped at K, trying to comprehend what he'd just said. Finally Hiro spoke up and asked, "What about Shu? Has he agreed to this plan of yours?"

"I haven't spoken to him about it yet. I wanted to see what everyone thought of it before I mentioned it to him. If you have doubts about it, think about it this way – this would give Shuichi the break he needs to get on with his life. He'd have a fresh start in the US with the chance to prove what Bad Luck is capable of. And he might finally have the chance to meet someone who will truly love him. Do you want to deny him that?"

"No, I don't." Hiro replied softly. "He does deserve that chance." He looked over at Ayaka.

As if sensing what he didn't say, she said, "If it is alright with K-san, I'd love to go with you. I don't want to see our relationship possibly die due to it being long-distance. I feel that this would give us a new start as well, Hiro-kun."

"I agree with K-san, Nakano-san. I think this would be a good opportunity for us all." Fujisaki spoke up. "It would help us to break out from the shadow of Nittle Grasper and NG records. No offense, Sakuma-san."

Turning back to face K, Hiro replied, "This plan of yours is fine with us, K-san. But tomorrow we will all go visit Shuichi and hear what he has to say about this."

* * *

The next morning found them all, save Sakano-san who had told them that he had a few things to say to Seguchi, outside of Shuichi's hotel room door. K knocked on the door and waited. Hearing no one stirring inside of the room, he reached out and turned the handle. Finding it unlocked, they walked in. The room was dark and they could hear the muted sounds coming from the television. Hiro walked over and turned it off as Ayaka went over to open the drapes. When light filled the room they all heard a low-pitched groan. Shuichi lay on the bed, his arm draped over his eyes. "Will someone _please_ shut off the fucking sun before it burns what's left of my brain cells?! And get rid of the kangaroos tripping out on LSD while you're at it!"

K picked up the bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey sitting on the nightstand. "No wonder you've got such a monster hangover, Shuichi. You know you can't hold your liquor…why did you even drink this stuff?"

Shuichi by this time had sat up on the bed. He glared at K before answering. "My life's been flushed down the proverbial shithole and you have the nerve to ask me _why_ I got drunk? Grow a fucking brain, would ya? As of right now, both my relationship and my job have been pissed on…do you expect me to be Little Miss Fucking Sunshine?!" His stomach chose that moment to rebel his liquor-induced spree the night before and he bolted off the bed towards the bathroom.

Hiro had just come out of the bathroom with a glass of water and two aspirin in his hands when he felt the whirlwind pass by him. The sounds of vomiting could be heard throughout the room. _K-san should have told them to lock up the mini-bar to keep Shu out. He's just unable to drink alcohol. _Shuichi reemerged a few minutes later, his face white and drawn looking. Walking over to where his friend sat, he told him, "Here, Shu, maybe this'll make you feel better." He watched silently as his friend tossed back the aspirin, drinking the entire glass of water. "Shu, K-san has a proposition for the band. Please hear him out before you agree or disagree to anything."

"Shuichi, I've gotten an offer from Reiji at XMR Records in New York City. She wants Bad Luck to become a part of her label's roster. You would of course have to move to New York. I've talked with your band mates and they are in agreement. Now it's up to you, Shuichi, if you want this chance or not."

_All day  
staring at the ceiling,  
making friends with shadows on my wall.  
All night  
hearing voices telling me  
that I should get some sleep,  
because tomorrow might be good for something._

Shuichi tried to listen to what K was saying, though the pounding in his skull was trying to prevent it. This was a good thing, right? It would give him a chance to get away from both Yuki and Seguchi's meddling interference. Most importantly, it would show the pompous bastards that _someone_ out there wanted him…that he didn't need any pathetic crumbs from them to survive. _And XMR's a hell of a lot bigger than NG…imagine how widely known Bad Luck could become! It's time I did something for myself and my band for a change. Fuck those assholes…they're not worth my time anymore! _"K-san, call Reiji and tell her she has a deal. As of now, Bad Luck is no longer with NG Records. But first we need to break our contract."

"I think Sakano's taking care of that for you, Shuichi. He wasn't too pleased with what he saw on the DVD last night. We just may see a new side of him today." Before Shuichi could comment on what he meant by a DVD, he had already walked out into the hallway to contact Reiji.

"What did he just mean by a DVD? Did that bastard record what happened last night? He did, didn't he?! Damn it, when I get my hands on him!"

"Calm down, Shuichi-kun…K-san didn't mean anything mean-spirited by it. He only wanted to show us what you had faced last night. We are all on your side and want to help."

_Hold on,  
I'm feeling like I'm headed for a  
breakdown.  
I don't know why.  
I'm not crazy; I'm just a little unwell.  
I know, right now you can't tell.  
But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see  
a different side of me._

Shuichi felt like he was suddenly thrust into the Twilight Zone. Here was Ayaka, Yuki's ex-fiancée, taking _his_ side in this whole affair. "Thanks, Ayaka-san…that means a lot."

K walked back into the room with a big smile on his face. "We leave in the morning on an 8:00 flight to New York City. I want you to spend today getting packed and ready to go. A limo will pick each of you up at 5:30 tomorrow morning. This way we'll have a nice getaway out of Japan."

"Hiro, do you mind if I go back with you and crash at your house? I need to sort through my stuff and decide what I need to store at my parents house."

Hiro nodded. He helped Shuichi to pack his things as K took care of his checking out. Hiro and Ayaka decided to ride back with both K and Shuichi. Fujisaki went back with Ryuichi after promising that he'd see them tomorrow morning.

Shuichi said out of the blue, "K-san, do you have the _only_ copy of that DVD? Has anyone else seen it?"

K didn't even take his eyes off of the road as he replied, "Oh, I might have sent a copy to one other person. And I'm sure she's pretty pissed off at two certain people right now."

Shuichi sat there horrified as he realized who K had sent a copy to. "You sent a copy to Mika-san? Are you fucking insane, you stupid American? That's all I fucking need is Mika-san coming after me for hitting not just her brother, but her husband as well!" He groaned and sank down in his seat. "How much more is my life going to get fucked up? Wasn't last night enough?"

"I think you're underestimating yourself, Shuichi. Mika-san is mature enough to see who was truly at fault in all of this. While she may have doubted your relationship with Yuki-san at one point, she came around, didn't she? I think you have more people on your side than you realize."

"We can only hope, K-san."

_I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired.  
I know, right now you don't care.  
But soon enough you're gonna think of me  
and how I used to be._

* * *

Finally, this chapter's finished! I don't know why I've gotten into such a writing slump lately. I can get ideas with no problem, but getting chapters worked on…well that's a bit more of a problem. School will be starting soon, so I can't promise a consistent schedule of updates, although I will try to keep them updated.

Chapter 3 Preview: Both Sakano and Ryuichi will unleash their wrath on Tohma. "Jerry, Jerry!" ahem Sorry about that, but I couldn't resist! On a side note, Tohma might want to clear his office of sharp, pointy objects…but that's just my opinion! Shuichi and his band mates will leave for the US. Wonder what surprises await them in the Big Apple? Stay tuned for the next installment of "Lover Come Back"!

Song used in this chapter: "Unwell" – Matchbox 20


	3. Had Enough

_To everyone who's left reviews here's a big thanks: luckystar03, blackraven1412BR, lilgurlanima, LEEANN2002, Lia Tsuka and J.J. To everyone who's put my story on their favorites and alerts lists a big thank you as well!_

_Here's a shoutout to those who liked my story enough to put it on their communities: Eclipse's picks, Just A Bunch of Whatever, Stories that jump out and say READ ME! and Xovers, Apdotion, Nonhuman, Elemental fics…_

_I'm glad to see that my story is so well-liked. It makes all of the writer's block and moments of mad writing frenzy worth it. The crossover will probably happen in the next two chapters or so…depends on how I want to separate things. And for those who like to see both Yuki and Tohma suffer – your wish is my command! All I can say is, it's probably a good thing that I __**don't**__ write the Gravitation manga. There'd be a lot of people going to therapy if I did. _

* * *

_**When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to discover they are not it. – Bernard Bailey**_

Sakano ignored people calling out to him as he walked towards his destination. He was still in shock over what he had seen last night. No one deserved to be treated in such a vile manner when it appeared that the other party was jealous. He had practically sweated blood and tears to get Bad Luck this far, when in fact it seemed as though he was the only one who actually cared about the band. Obviously Seguchi was only engrossed in anything that concerned one Yuki Eiri. He remembered Shuichi's words from the DVD and he hated to admit it, but it seemed as though Shuichi was correct. Everything that had seemed to be an aid for Bad Luck seemed to originate from Seguchi's desire to please Yuki. Sakano recalled every event and he always suspected that there was something more to Seguchi's motives than helping out the fledgling band.

_Milk it for all it's worth.  
Make sure you get there first.  
The apple of your eye,  
the rotten core inside.  
We are the prisoners.  
Things couldn't get much worse.  
I've had it up to here.  
You know your end is near._

Stiffening his back, he knocked on the office door. After hearing Seguchi call for him to come in, he made a decision to wait. He would see for himself just how much Seguchi detested Shuichi. That would help him in his wavering decision that he'd lost sleep over since the day before. As he walked in, he noticed that Seguchi sat on one of the couches in his office staring intently at the television in front of him. It was blaring news about Judy Winchester arriving at C-Vivant in Shibuya to personally celebrate the Japanese opening of her latest movie. Sakano could see the discoloration on Seguchi's jaw where Shuichi had punched him the night before.

"She's a Hollywood superstar. That type of person will do anything to get to the top. She'd probably renounce her own parents if it got her a magazine cover. I bet she's never let her emotions get in the way of her career. I'm sure she's a consummate professional, willing to pour all of her spirit and energy into her work. I wish I could say otherwise…but I really don't have that kind of dedication to my profession."

Sakano was confused as to why Seguchi was suddenly talking about that. "Why are you so suddenly concerned about this, Seguchi-san?"

"I'm the one who broke up Shindou-san and Eiri-san. You may think I did it to help the band prosper, but that would be a lie. I did it all for _him_, for my Eiri. It had everything to do with my personal feelings and nothing to do with Bad Luck. And after Shindou-san's _appalling _behavior last night, he and Bad Luck no longer even exist on NG's roster. After I'm through with him, the little shrimp will be begging me for a chance to come back."

Sakano's eyes narrowed at his words. "So from the start, Seguchi, you never actually had any interest in helping Bad Luck did you? It appears as though Shindou-san was right – everything was done only in the interest of your precious _Eiri-san_. Have you been out of the loop for so long that you've lost sight of what it takes to become a star in this business? Shindou-san worked day and night to get Bad Luck off of the ground and you just dismiss him as though he's nothing?! I feel sorry for Shindou-san after he had to deal with both your interference and Yuki-san's cold attitude."

Tohma looked over at Sakano, his eyes wide at the man's suddenly chilly attitude. He had even dropped the usual honorific he always used with his name. It looked as though the man who had fawned over him in the past had developed a sudden backbone overnight. "This whole matter is none of your business, Sakano-san, since Bad Luck is no longer with NG. I'll overlook your acting out of line for now, but remember this – it had better not occur again in the future. Have I made myself clear, Sakano-san?"

"You've made something clear, _Seguchi_, that you're a royal bastard who loves nothing more than to manipulate people. And let me make something clear for _you_. Bad Luck doesn't need whatever pathetic table scraps you choose to throw them. XMR has made an offer for Bad Luck to join their label, which has been accepted. As of now, Bad Luck's contract with NG is null and void. Shindou-san will make good on his promise that Bad Luck will thrive _and_ be bigger just to spite you!"

Tohma's mouth thinned into a line, his eyes darkening in anger. "You've crossed the line, Sakano-san. I will not tolerate your insubordination!" His mouth suddenly turned up into a cruel smirk. "How fitting that a second-rate producer chooses to stick with a second-rate band. XMR must have hired idiots who don't know what _true_ music is to have chosen Bad Luck. That Ryuichi-wannabe will _never_ make anything of that pathetic band!"

Sakano clenched his fists in an effort to control his anger before he did something he might regret. "Also effective immediately is my resignation from NG. I will be transferring to XMR with Bad Luck as their producer." He turned to leave but before he did, he turned around and slammed his fist into Tohma's left eye. "Consider that to be my resignation letter, _Seguchi-san_." Spinning on his heel, he marched out of the office slamming the door shut behind him.

Once outside the office, he leaned back against the door. He wasn't sure what had possessed him to slug his ex-boss like that, but damn did it feel good! Now he knew how Shuichi must have felt the night before. The sudden adrenaline rush felt invigorating! Looking up he almost yelped at seeing Sakuma Ryuichi in front of him. "S-Sakuma-san…I didn't expect to see you here!" A sudden realization dawned on him that Sakuma-san had overheard everything that had just occurred. He wanted to groan at the thought. Feeling a hand touch his shoulder, he looked up at the older man.

"It's okay, Sakano-san. I'm not angry with you. In fact, I'm quite pleased at what you just did. It's about time someone showed Tohma that he won't always get his way. And now I'm going to give him a piece of my mind as well." With that said, Ryuichi sauntered past him and into Tohma's office.

Sakano repressed a shudder at the coldness of Sakuma-san's voice. Noticing that Sakuma-san wasn't holding onto Kumagoro, he knew then that he was here on business. He wanted to feel pity for Seguchi but he somehow couldn't dredge up the feeling. Walking away quickly, he decided it would be best to go ahead and clear out his office. After all, he had a plane to catch the next morning!

* * *

Ryuichi shut the door behind him before he turned around to look at the man he had called friend. Thinking back on what he'd told Sakano, he knew it was correct. Tohma had indeed gotten _too_ used to getting his way through whatever means possible. It was time that he was shown that not everyone would bow down to his will. He could see the man sitting on the couch holding a bag of ice to his now swollen left eye. It seemed ironic to Ryuichi that two men who Tohma had thought weak had punched him in the span of two days. He almost laughed aloud but controlled himself in time. "It seems like you've had a rough morning, Tohma. What's wrong? Are you having problems controlling people again?"

Tohma glared up at him with one eye. "What do you want, Ryuichi-san? I'm not in the mood to play your silly little games this morning."

Leaning against the door, Ryuichi spoke again, "Oh, I know about _everything_ that happened last night and this morning as well. And let me make one thing clear, Tohma: never call Shuichi a wannabe of me again. I will not tolerate your abusing my friends. You seem to have forgotten that somewhere along the line. Were you figuring that I wouldn't find out about it? Guess again. I would suggest that you not forget who made Nittle Grasper famous, Tohma. You know, I have to wonder how Mika-san would feel about all of this. In actuality, I feel pity for her, seeing as how you rarely pay any attention to her instead choosing to focus on Yuki-san instead. When you finally realize that he never needed you, it'll be too late because there won't be anyone left for you to turn to. What will you do then, Tohma?" He turned around and walked out of the room.

_You had to have it all.  
Well have you had enough?  
You greedy little bastard  
you'll get what you deserve.  
When all is said and done,  
I will be the one.  
To leave you in the misery  
and hate what you've become._

* * *

Tohma sat there watching the closed door. In the span of two days time, he'd had three people turn on him. He almost wished Ryuichi had yelled at him, rather than using that quiet, disappointed tone. Even Eiri had disappeared after the scene at the bar and Tohma suspected that he might have gone to Kyoto. Staring silently at the now dark television screen, he thought about both Sakano and Ryuichi's words. Was it possible that they were correct? And even when he did do something that helped Eiri, it wasn't like the younger man was terribly grateful to him. Maybe it was time that he did reevaluate things before it was too late.

* * *

Ryuichi didn't know how Mika would react once he reached Kyoto. He knew that K had given her a copy of the DVD he'd watched last night, but he had no way of knowing if she'd viewed it yet or not. Glancing over at the passenger side, he saw the tape recorder sitting there like a bomb waiting to go off. He'd recorded both his and Sakano's conversations with Tohma. He wanted to make sure that Mika knew exactly what was going on. Too many times she'd been left in the dark and it was time for her to see the light once and for all. Getting out of his car, he absently wondered if he'd run into Tatsuha while he was here. Brushing that thought aside, he walked to the main temple. Luck was with him as he spotted Mika almost instantly. "Mika-san, could I have a few words with you?"

They went into an empty room and sat down. Ryuichi noticed that she looked paler than usual and hoped that what had happened hadn't stressed her too much. He knew this had to hurt seeing two of the people who were supposed to be closest to you treating another as they did. "Have you watched the DVD yet that K-san gave to you?"

Mika tensed as Ryuichi asked his question. "Yes, I saw it. I couldn't believe it at first. Seeing them break Shuichi-kun as they did, I felt so helpless. But I know one thing – I'm glad that Shuichi-kun stood up for himself. I'm waiting for the right moment to bring this up to Eiri. Right now I want him to stew in his guilt over what he did to Shuichi-kun." Reaching a hand into her pocket, she pulled out what looked to be a house key with three holes shot in it. "I found this on Eiri's doorstep when I went to get him some clothing and his laptop. I believe this was both Shuichi-kun and K-san's way of telling Eiri to fuck off."

Ryuichi laughed. "That does look like K-san's handiwork. But there is something else that you need to hear, Mika-san." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the tape recorder. "I went to Tohma's office this morning to give him a piece of my mind about what he put Shuichi-kun through last night. Imagine my surprise to find that Sakano-san had beaten me to it. Not only did he chew him out and resign, he also punched him in his left eye. I've got every moment of both his and my conversation on tape."

Mika grew more agitated as she listened to the tape. She couldn't believe how her husband was behaving. It looked as though it was time for a talk with him as well. "Thank you, Ryuichi, for telling me this. What time does Shuichi-kun leave tomorrow?"

"His plane leaves tomorrow morning at 8:00. Why do you ask? It's not like you're going to be able to make Yuki-san go and stop him. I highly doubt that Shuichi-kun even wants to see him."

"No, I'm not going to tell Eiri until it's too late. I think he needs to learn a lesson from all of this. There is a favor that I would like to request of you, Ryuichi. Is it possible for this to "leak" to the press and have the paparazzi there? I want to make an example of it to Eiri."

Ryuichi smiled at Mika. "Consider it done, Mika-san. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if K-san hadn't already thought of it."

* * *

Shuichi fought to stay awake as he climbed out of the limo. Hiro, Fujisaki, Ayaka and Sakano followed behind. On the way to the airport, Sakano related what had happened in Seguchi's office. When he told them how he stood up for them and the manner in which he had resigned, Shuichi had hugged him. Sakano's support meant more than he knew. He had never been happier than when he was told that Ryuichi had also gone to talk to the keyboardist. Walking into the airport, he saw K-san and Ryuichi waiting for them. He saw Ryuichi motion to him and he walked over to where he stood. "What is it, Sakuma-san?"

"I've spoken with Mika-san and she wants you to know that you have her full support. You have a lot of people behind you, Shuichi-kun. Don't ever forget that."

"Thank you, Sakuma-san…that means a lot." His head whipped around when he heard the cacophony of ear-splitting shrieks. _Oh shit!_ He groaned mentally. _It looks our departure's been leaked. God only knows what we'll have to deal with now._

What appeared to be a swarm of both male and female fans along with a side of paparazzi was storming their way. The bravest of the reporters got in his face and started barraging him with questions. "Shindou-san, is it true that Bad Luck is no longer with NG Records? Will you be transferring to XMR?"

"Yes, it's all true. Bad Luck will be debuting with XMR once we land in the States." He waited for the dreaded relationship question. After the other night it was bound to be asked.

"Shindou-san! Is it true that you and Yuki Eiri are no longer in a relationship?"

Shuichi laughed suddenly, making the reporter's eyes go wide at his reaction. "After being publicly dumped in a bar by that bastard where the whole fiasco ended with me ripping him a new one and then slugging him, do you _really _have to ask that question? No, I'm no longer with him and I'd say that I'm better off."

Before any more questions could be asked, K and the guards he'd hired were ushering them to a private jet that sat resting on the tarmac. Even as they boarded the plane they could see the swarm being held back by airport security. Shuichi turned around to look at K. "I thought we were taking a flight to the States."

K sat down before answering. "Change of plans, Shuichi – that crowd would have made it too difficult. But it was so nice of XMR to send their own personal jet for us to use."

Shuichi snorted at that. "Something tells me that you had something to do with all of those fans and reporters swarming us like that. Care to tell me why?"

"Nope."

Shuichi just shook his head and sat down. Since it would be a long flight he settled in to take a nap. He wondered if Yuki would see their departure or if he'd even care. Right now, all that mattered to Shuichi was his career. He'd abandoned it for too long.

_My friends say they're proud of me  
for taking our breakup so casually.  
But they don't see what lies beneath my smile.  
It appears that I'm okay  
and I moved on when you walked away.  
But the truth is since you said goodbye…_

Sleep wasn't quick in coming, though. Opening his eyes, he saw the others just relaxing in the plane. They seemed happy that they were leaving Japan behind. Shuichi wanted this chance to prove what he could really do. But that part of him that missed Yuki, even though he kept squashing it down, kept popping up. Why should he even think or worry about that bastard? Yuki had made his choice and he'd have to live with it. Closing his eyes once again, he forced himself to clear thoughts of Yuki from his mind.

_I'm invisibly shaken and quietly breakin'.  
Desperately takin' one breath at a time.  
Beneath this composure I know it's over.  
Baby I'm dying cause you can't be mine.  
But I will never show the toll it's taking,  
cause I'm invisibly shaken._

* * *

Drama, drama, and drama I tell you! Let's give a big round of applause for Sakano finally getting a backbone! I always loved that scene where he punched Tohma. I saw it as a defining moment for Sakano; you could always tell that he cared more for Shuichi and Bad Luck than Tohma ever did.

Chapter 4 Preview: Well, I guess I _should_ give Yuki's POV to this story. whines Do I really have to? Anyway, we'll see his reasoning (or should I say stupidity) for what he did. And we'll get to see Mika rip into him. Stay tuned for more drama and theatrics than a reality TV show!

Songs used in this chapter: "Had Enough" – Breaking Benjamin and "Invisibly Shaken" – Rodney Atkins.


	4. Tangled

_**Reviewer's response corner**_

_**blackraven1412BR**__: You brought up some interesting points. I hadn't even thought of having K release the DVD to the media – although that __**would**__ be something that K would probably do. And yes, I think it's time to bring Tatsuha in. The more the merrier in rubbing salt in the wound, I say. So thank you for your suggestions. This chapter is dedicated to you!_

_As I've said in my other stories, I didn't mean for it to take me this long to get things updated. School has kept me uber-busy, so I've had to parcel out my chances to get any work done on my chapters._

_**Note:**__ I've put up a new poll on my profile. It's for a new Naruto story that I'm thinking of. The premise is that Naruto auctions himself off on Ebay for charity. You get to pick who bids on him! Please go view the poll on my profile and vote!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own Gravitation. Characters are still copyrighted to Maki Murakami and Masashi Kishimoto. This story is written entirely for fun and not for profit._

* * *

_**I'm going to smile and make you think I'm happy, I'm going to laugh, so you don't see me cry, I'm going to let you go in style, and even if it kills me- I'm going to smile. – **__**Anonymous**_

_I'm full of regret  
for all the things that I have done and said.  
And I don't know if it'll ever be ok to show  
my face 'round here.  
Sometimes I wonder if I disappear…_

Yuki sat quietly in the room, staring out at the shrine grounds that lay outside. He hadn't slept decently since that night, finding that if he tried all he would see was Shuichi's angry face staring accusingly at him. It had all gone downhill from the moment Shuichi had run out of the apartment to his confronting Tohma. He could still remember the chilling words that Tohma had spoken to him before Shuichi and his manager had arrived.

"_I told him he was in the way. And that your cute butt was mine, and that he should never see you again. Otherwise, I would use my power and everything at my disposal to destroy Bad Luck. That was about as plain as I could make it for Shindou-san."_

"_What the hell?" He could only sit there in stunned disbelief at what Tohma had just told him. No wonder the kid was acting so strangely earlier. Yuki almost groaned aloud as he recalled what he'd said. Yes, he could almost imagine the emotional tizzy Shuichi was going through right now._

"_Do you think it was too harsh?"_

"_Harsh? Are you kidding me?! Oh, forget it…Jesus… The sad thing is, you're the only person who doesn't look at me as a sexual object. I guess it doesn't surprise me. Shuichi probably did something annoying and ticked you off."_

"_You and Shindou-san are too different to be good for each other. Differences cause friction, and that causes you stress. Think about it! This tryst put you in the hospital! I had thought you guys might inspire one another, but…well, let's just say your relationship with Shindou-san didn't go exactly as planned. When I saw you sleeping in that hospital bed, I knew what I had to do. That boy won't do anything but drag you down…so I had to remove him from your life, like a tumor. I can't bear to see you suffer."_

"_I don't care what you say, Tohma, I intend to stay with Shuichi. So for once, just butt out!"_

"_I see. If I heard you correctly, you intend on continuing your relationship with Shindou-san."_

"_That's right. So just bugger off!"_

"_I would have thought that you'd be tired of vomiting blood and going to therapy and the prospect of being a nervous wreck all your life. Tres masochistic."_

"_What's the alternative? You? King Bitterness? Not likely!"_

"_Am I really so bad? Is it wrong to want your friend not to suffer?"_

"_It's my life, and I'm telling you to __**butt out**__!!"_

"_No…I can't do that. You once told me that when you're together, something clicks in your head. It's this feeling that makes you stay with him, right? In other words, it's not friendship, and it's not love…to you, Shindou-san simply "clicks", and nothing more. If something else inspired the same reaction, you could probably move on to that. I don't see why I should give my blessing to such a trifle. Particularly when it causes you so much pain."_

"_Seguchi…I…I don't understand what friendship or love is. That's the only reason you're right. If I knew more, Shuichi would mean more."_

_Then Shuichi had busted into the bar along with his insane American manager. That had resulted in a tug-of-war between Seguchi and Shuichi with Yuki being the rope. He could only stand there listening as Seguchi threatened Shuichi's career, knowing that he had the power to do it. The ugly thought that Seguchi could probably do worse than that wormed its way through his head. That's when he'd made his decision to break up with Shuichi thinking he was sparing him from whatever devious machinations were running through Tohma's head. He hadn't anticipated the kid going apeshit on him, punching both himself and Seguchi along with yelling at them. That was the last he'd seen of Shuichi. He had then come to Kyoto to get away from Seguchi._

_Would you ever turn your head and look?  
See if I'm gone.  
Cause I fear…_

So by attempting to protect him, he'd only managed to destroy him even further than Tohma could have even done. He'd heard the voice of someone talking to Mika earlier yesterday morning and recognized it as Sakuma Ryuichi. Briefly wondering what he wanted to speak with his sister about, he pushed it aside. Hearing footsteps on the wooden floor, he looked up to see his sister standing near him. She looked upset and he could hazard a guess why. "If you have something to say, then say it." His confusion only grew as she walked past him and turned on the small television set in the room.

He could see that some entertainment news program was currently on and it appeared that they were live at Narita Airport. His stomach clenched in knots as he saw the close-up of Shuichi and his band mates walking through the airport. This was the first he'd seen of him since that night in the bar. His eyes looked older…no warmth remained, turning the violet color to ice. He watched as Ryuichi walked up to Shuichi and Yuki felt a jealous pang as he smiled at the sight of his idol. How ironic that he now felt this way when two nights before he'd turned him away. A cacophony of ear-splitting shrieks was coming towards them as he saw both fans and paparazzi swarming around them. One brave reporter got close enough to ask Shuichi a slew of questions. "Shindou-san, is it true that Bad Luck is no longer with NG Records? Will you be transferring to XMR?"

"Yes, it's all true. Bad Luck will be debuting with XMR once we land in the States."

"Shindou-san! Is it true that you and Yuki Eiri are no longer in a relationship?"

_There is nothing left to say to you.  
To you…_

_that you wanna hear –_

_that you wanna know.  
I think I should go._

Surprise jolted through him at hearing that they'd be debuting in the States. K hadn't been kidding when he said that he'd back Shuichi up in any way he could. He'd had a trump card and only had to wait to spring it once Shuichi made his decision. Yuki winced as he heard Shuichi laugh suddenly – it wasn't a friendly laugh, but one filled with bitterness. "After being publicly dumped in a bar by that bastard where the whole fiasco ended with me ripping him a new one and then slugging him, do you _really_ have to ask that question? No, I'm no longer with him and I'd say that I'm better off." Nothing more was said as K and the guards ushered them towards a private plane that sat waiting on the tarmac, ready to take off.

Yuki didn't know what to say as he felt Mika's eyes glaring holes in the back of his head. Okay, so the night at the bar was tame in comparison to this. Surely that had to be the worst of it, right? Wrong. The newscasters were practically salivating as they gloated over their next bit of juicy news. "Well, looks like Yuki-san's made quite the big mistake, huh? For those of you wondering _exactly_ what happened, we have obtained an exclusive copy of the events from the Gunner Gold bar!" Feeling the nausea now beginning to churn a burning hole in his stomach, he could only watch as in horror movie-like fashion the events that led to his breaking up with Shuichi flashed across the screen. What was worse was that he could _feel_ the rabidness of Bad Luck fans demanding his blood even this far away from Tokyo. His return to Tokyo was _not_ going to be pleasant. At least he wasn't currently at the center of the storm like Tohma was. Realizing with a sinking feeling that this wasn't going to blow over very quickly, he debated whether or not it would be prudent to go back to Tokyo.

Mika said nothing as she shut the television off. She was about to roast Eiri when footsteps could be heard running into the room. "Man, Mika, did you just see that? Can you believe what that bastard did…?" His words came to an abrupt end as he saw Yuki sitting there on the floor giving him a frigid glare. Ignoring the glare, he said, "Well, look what we have here. What's wrong, Eiri, couldn't you keep your boyfriend? Oh, that's right…it's best to just toss him instead, huh? After everything he's done for you and this is how you repay him?!"

"Tatsuha, that's enough!" Mika gave her brother a stern look. "You're right, but right now, _I_ have a few things to say to him. You'll get your chance later."

Tatsuha snickered. "Fine, Mika-chan, but I have one last thing to say to our dear brother. After what you've done to him, don't expect him to just come running back to you. You're going to have to do a _lot_ of begging and groveling to get him back…that is, if he does decide to forgive you."

Mika watched as her youngest brother walked back out of the room. Turning back to her brother, she asked him, "Well? Do you have anything to say for yourself? If Shuichi-kun had meant as much to you as he should have, you wouldn't have been able to call it off so easily."

"Don't you fucking understand, Mika?! I did it _for_ Shuichi! You know what Tohma's like, how ruthless he can be! Damn it…if I didn't break things off with him, there's no telling what he would have done. Shuichi's better off this way – can't you see it?!"

"How can you stand there and say that after what happened the other night and what you just saw on television? He loves you and would have done _anything_ to stay by your side!" Mika stopped as she came to a realization. "That's what this is all about, isn't it? You were worried that he'd come to resent you if he chose you over his career. I don't even think that word was in his vocabulary until the other night. _You_ made him resent you only after you publicly humiliated him like that." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the mangled house key. "This is how he feels about you now, Eiri. Tatsuha had a point – you might not _ever_ get Shuichi-kun back. I think he's finally reached his limit."

_The things I've done are way too shameful.  
You're just an innocent.  
A helpless victim of a spider's web,  
and I'm an insect  
going after anything that I can get.  
So you better turn your head and run  
and don't look back.  
'Cause I fear…_

Yuki stared at the remains of the house key; the three holes etched into the metal had him worried. He said nothing else as he got up and walked out of the room.

"Eiri, where are you going? I wasn't finished talking with you!"

"As far as I'm concerned, this conversation is over. I'm through listening to you. What I decide to do next is none of your business."

Mika frowned as she watched her brother walk out. _Stubborn jackass! Why is it so fucking hard for him to admit that he loves Shuichi-kun? None of this would have happened if he'd forgone his damned pride!_

* * *

Yuki stubbornly ignored the silent shadow known as Tatsuha as he followed him. Finally getting pissed off, he turned around and glared at his brother. "What the fuck do _you_ want, Tatsuha?!"

Tatsuha smirked at his older brother, clearly enjoying the agitation coming from the older man. "Oh, nothing, _aniki_…I'm just glad that Shuichi finally gave both you and Tohma what you so richly deserved. Do you really expect me to believe that bullshit you spouted about protecting Shuichi? You were just looking for a convenient excuse to finally dump him and you know it! I just can't believe that he always stood up for you only to get tossed out like a sack of garbage."

Yuki, annoyed that his brother had listened in on his conversation with Mika, had heard enough and before he had time to think he was punching his younger brother across the face. "Don't you say another word about Shuichi to my face, understand? This is my problem and I'll deal with it. I don't need your goddamned interference!"

Tatsuha rubbed his now sore jaw. "Truth hurts doesn't it, aniki? You should have had your miraculous epiphany sooner or you wouldn't be in this world of shit. I can just imagine the _glorious_ welcome both the media and Bad Luck fans will give you once you go back home. That will truly be a Kodak moment as they hand you your ass on a silver platter!" He walked away snickering, leaving a fuming Yuki standing behind him.

_There is nothing left to say to you.  
To you…  
that you wanna hear -  
that you wanna know.  
I think I should go.  
The things I've done are way too shameful.  
And I've done you so wrong.  
Treated you bad,  
strung you along.  
Oh shame on myself.  
I don't know how I got so tangled up.  
You better turn your head and look.  
See if I'm gone.  
'Cause I fear…_

Yuki walked out of the shrine in what seemed like a daze only to snap awake when he found himself standing at the edge of the pond that sat at the back of the shrine grounds. He cursed himself mentally as he remembered finally telling Shuichi his most guarded secret as they stood there, half expecting the boy to leave him then. To his surprise, the truth hadn't fazed Shuichi in the least; truth be told, he suspected that it might have made him more appealing to Shuichi. _"After being publicly dumped in a bar by that bastard where the whole fiasco ended with me ripping him a new one and then slugging him, do you really have to ask that question? No, I'm no longer with him and I'd say that I'm better off."_ Those words ripped invisible talons through his heart even though he knew he had no right to feel this way. Mika and Tatsuha were right – if he ever wanted to get his brat back he'd have to do a _lot_ of groveling. But how could he expect Shuichi to ever forgive him after both he and Tohma had fucked with his mind like that? In retrospect, wasn't Shuichi better off now that he could focus solely on his career without it being held over his head like a ransom note? Although he hadn't looked happy in the airport footage that Yuki had seen on television, he knew that in time it would come. Eventually he'd get over Yuki and let his music take over his life once again as it had in the past before he'd even known that Yuki had existed. Maybe he'd even find someone who could actually show him that they cared for him instead of being an emotionally stunted bastard. Rubbing his hands across tired eyes, Yuki trembled as he realized that he couldn't bear the thought of that happening. Like a phantom he heard his own words whispered back to him. _"Seguchi…I…I don't understand what friendship or love is. That's the only reason you're right. If I knew more, Shuichi would mean more."_ Was this searing pain that he felt now in his heart love? Go figure…he could only discover this miraculous fact _after_ he'd driven off his lover. _What do I do now? Do I go after him or give him time? Who's to even say that he'd let me get anywhere near him. Maybe…maybe it's time I spoke with Mika about this._

* * *

The next day heralded a new surprise as Tohma arrived at the shrine, presumably to get away from the bloodshed and carnage that would occur if he were to stay in Tokyo. To think that K had actually gone to the media with a DVD copy of that night…the little shrimp would be a martyr now among both the media and his overzealous fans. Under different circumstances Tohma would have applauded K's actions, but right now he only felt like choking the man. As he closed the front door, he felt the fine hairs on his neck stand up…looks like trouble had found him already and was right behind him. Turning around, he saw his wife standing there with her arms folded across her chest and a glare that could have rivaled Eiri's. That look meant "we need to talk" and he knew he wasn't going to like the outcome.

Following her into the living area, he sat his bags down. She refused to sit anywhere near him for which he was glad. That was probably done for his own safety so he'd be out of striking distance. The silence began to stifle him until he finally broke it. "Did Eiri-san come here? I've not had a chance to speak with him."

Mika couldn't believe Tohma's audacity at even asking her that. "Are you afraid your precious Eiri has left, Tohma? Truly, I believe that he's all you can think about. Why is it that you always seek to protect him when he's never wanted or needed it? All of this coddling has to stop, Tohma! Have you forgotten that you have a wife and a child on the way, or are we just to be brought out when it's convenient for you? It sickens me to see how you treated Shuichi-kun. Was he just another pawn in your game? He's a human being, damn it, not some chess piece you can manipulate!"

Tohma sat there stupefied as he watched his wife yell at him. Okay, it was obvious whose side Mika was on. Sighing tiredly, he replied, "You're not the first to have said that to me, Mika. And I apologize if I've hurt you in any way. I suppose in a way I've allowed myself to become blinded to what's truly been going on."

Mika could only stare at the man who was her husband, although he certainly wasn't acting like him at the moment. She could only speculate that aliens had come and abducted him when she wasn't looking. "And what inspired this sudden epiphany of yours? In the past you've done everything in your power to protect Eiri…even going so far as to threaten his lover. Yes, I was glad that you looked after my brother and I know that you still harbor guilt over what happened in New York…but doing what you did to Shuichi-kun was unforgivable. Do you know why Eiri suddenly became compliant about your wish that he would break off his relationship with Shuichi-kun? He did it to protect him because he knows how ruthless you can be. And now he feels the guilt over how he treated his lover. He saw the news, Tohma – he knows how Shuichi-kun truly feels and although he doesn't show it, I know he's hurting on the inside. You and I both know that Shuichi-kun would have done anything to stay with Eiri, but instead Eiri turned him away rather than have him one day look at him with resentment over choosing him instead of his career."

Tohma could say nothing to that. His wife was right. And now his interference had caused two people more misery than he could ever hope to right. "Do you think Eiri-san will ever forgive me? In my heart I only wanted to help him, but everything that I've done has backfired, hasn't it? And now Shindou-san is with XMR…a place where he can finally develop his talent without the fear of it being held over his head."

"You shouldn't be asking for my forgiveness, Seguchi. The one you need to be asking is on his way to New York right now." Yuki stepped into the room eyeing his brother-in-law warily. "And you're not the only one that needs to ask for his forgiveness.

_There is nothing left to say to you.  
That you wanna hear -  
that you wanna know.  
I think I should go.  
The things I've done are way too shameful.  
And I've done you so wrong.  
Treated you bad,  
strung you along.  
Oh shame on myself.  
I don't know how I got so tangled._

* * *

Finally…it seems as though I was never going to get this chapter finished! Feels like I kinda ran a marathon…only slower! Anywho, thanks to everyone for their continued patience! Your support means a lot! No, really!

Chapter 5 Preview: Well, for those who have been anxious to see Shu…he _will_ show up in the next chapter. hears scattered applause And soon it'll be time to introduce our cross-over characters. flings confetti We're swinging back to Shu and seeing his arrival in New York to an ecstatic Reiji! Don't worry…at least there won't be a crane suit this time! massive sweatdrop at that image

Song in this chapter: _Tangled_ – Maroon 5


	5. New York City

_Alright, we've finally made it to chapter 5! As long as it's taking me to complete chapters, I have to wonder if I still have any readers left by now. Sorry about the delay in production! _

_We're introducing our two cross-over characters in this chapter! Please welcome Nagatani Kanade and Masasane Deidara to our story! Kanade is my OC and Deidara is well-known to fans of Naruto. Since I've never seen a last name associated with him, I just created one for him. And yes, there is a __**nice**__ Orochimaru in the story – scary isn't it? I decided to make him nice for once, or shall I say __**try**__ to make him nice. Other characters from the Naruto-verse will trickle in as needed, so keep your eyes peeled!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own Gravitation or Naruto. Characters are still copyrighted to Maki Murakami and Masashi Kishimoto. This story is written entirely for fun and not for profit._

_*************************************************************************************_

_**"Music is the soul of language." – Max Heindel**_

The bright lights and jarring noise of the city met Bad Luck as they disembarked their plane. Wide-eyed, they glanced around at their new home for as long as they were with XMR. Bags were unloaded into waiting limos as their owners climbed in. Shuichi, Hiro and Suguru took one limo while K, Ayaka and Sakano rode in the other. Nothing was said at first, each man taking in the sights of New York City. Hiro finally broke the silence when he asked Shuichi, "How does it feel to be away from Japan, Shu? Are you sure you're okay with this?"

Sending Hiro a skeptical look, Shuichi replied, "Why all the questions so suddenly? You were just as gung-ho to leave Japan as I was. What…afraid I'm going to go all chicken shit and back out because I left Yuki? If I wasn't okay with leaving Japan and that bastard behind, do you think I'd be here?!"

Hiro sat there looking shell-shocked as Shuichi ranted. Raising his hands in mock surrender, he quickly tried to placate his friend. "That's not what I meant, Shu, and you know it! I just want to make certain that deep down you _are_ okay with this. I don't want you feeling like you made a mistake, only to make yourself miserable later on. I'm sorry if it came across as me not trusting your decision."

Looking away shamefaced, Shuichi muttered, "No, Hiro, you don't have anything to be sorry for. I'm at fault for just blowing up like that. I know that you meant well. I'm sorry, Hiro." Violet eyes took in the scenes passing him by outside of his window. New York City…he was now in the place where Yuki's demons and past lay like an unsettled graveyard. Damn if that wasn't ironic…too bad that he didn't care to laugh. Leaning back against the headrest, he briefly closed weary eyes, hoping that the meeting with Reiji or Rage as she was known would go well. It was time for him to be serious and prove to people back in Japan just what Bad Luck was made of. He almost smirked as he imagined their expressions when news of their success reached Japan. That alone was worth it to make him work his ass off like never before.

*************************************************************************************

Nagatani Kanade and Masasane Deidara just stared at the humming woman in front of them, both slightly bewildered by her behavior. Of course, having just gotten there themselves, they had no idea if this was normal behavior for their new boss, Reiji. Kanade whispered behind her hand, "Ne, Deidara…her stroking that poster is freaking me out! It's like she's having a religious experience over it."

"That's a picture of our new client, un. From what Orochimaru-sama said, we'll be the main photographers for XMR's new group. He's their lead vocalist – Shindou Shuichi. I guess Reiji-sama's got the hots for him, un."

"You know, I can hear everything you're saying." Rage turned around to face her new employees. Nasu Orochimaru had sent over two of his best employees when she'd asked for a photographer and assistant for her new artists that had been signed to XMR's label. The only woman of the two, Nagatani Kanade was half-American, half-Japanese. Her father had left before she was born, so her Japanese mother had raised her. Masasane Deidara, her assistant, was an only child who loved art. It didn't matter what he did, as long as he could work somewhere in the business. Both had long, blonde hair, but Kanade's wheat-blonde shade was lighter than Deidara's own golden blonde. The other difference was their eye color – Deidara was blue-eyed while Kanade had light-brown eyes. Rage knew that Kanade was here on personal issues. A disastrous relationship in Japan had been her deciding factor in taking the job. But it didn't stop there. From what Kanade had been told by her mother, her father was last known to have lived in New York. She'd come here to not only take on a job, but to confront her past as well. Deidara was here as her assistant because they worked well together and there was no one else that she'd trust as well.

"Our apologies, Reiji-sama – it was not our intent to offend you."

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation as Bill, Rage's assistant, poked his head in. "Reiji-sama, I just wanted to let you know that Bad Luck has arrived. Shall I show them in?" At her nod, he left to retrieve the band.

"Well, you'll soon meet your new clients. Since you're both from Japan as well, you should be familiar with their work. And I'm fairly certain you're no doubt familiar with their back story as well. I want it made clear that you are not to divulge anything to the paparazzi…is that clear?" At their nods, she continued, "Their lead vocalist has just ended a tumultuous relationship with one of Japan's leading novelists. No doubt that is a sore subject to him. I want his signing to XMR to be a clean break for him, so please don't bring up his ex for any reason."

"Of course, Reiji-sama…we will use the utmost discretion. Having been through a similar experience to Shindou-san's recently, I understand what you're asking of us."

"Good…I'm glad that you understand." The door opened to reveal their clients as Bill followed behind them. "Welcome, Bad Luck, to XMR! Let me start things off by saying how glad I am that you decided to sign to our label. I am Reiji or as others call me, Rage."

Six people along with Bill entered the room, three of the group easily identifiable as the members of Bad Luck. They easily identified Shuichi from the poster on the wall. The tallest of the three was their guitarist, Nakano Hiroshi and the shorter was their keyboardist, Fujisaki Suguru. Rage introduced the remaining three. The tall, ponytailed blonde was Winchester Claude, aka K. The woman was introduced as Hiro's girlfriend, Usami Ayaka. The nervous-looking man wearing glasses was their producer, Sakano-san.

*************************************************************************************

Shuichi didn't know what to expect when he walked into Rage's office. He would have sworn that Sakano started sweating and babbling more profusely the minute they stepped into XMR's offices, a sign that should've tipped him off. He honestly had to wonder how bad the woman could be, but then he remembered how Sakano had always had nervous tendencies. Maybe a Valium prescription would be a good idea for the man. The moment he saw the large poster of himself staring back from behind Rage's desk, he didn't know whether to twitch or run like hell. The sound of snickering behind him told him that K found it all hilarious. He really started to twitch then. According to what he'd been told by K, Rage was about the same age he was. Wearing glasses and having short brown hair, this clued him in on who to speak to. Besides Rage, there were two other people waiting for them in the office. One was a young woman who looked around his age and the other was an older male. Looking back over at Rage, he waited for her to introduce the two.

"Shuichi, I'd like you to meet the woman who I requested to be the band's personal photographer. This is Nagatani Kanade and her assistant, Masasane Deidara. They also relocated to New York from Japan."

Shuichi nodded to himself. So Rage had assigned them their own personal photographer, huh? Yes, he'd definitely made the right decision to leave NG. Rage knew what it would take to raise their career to the next level and what was perhaps most important, she _cared_. Unlike NG and its president who had lorded their future over his head, Rage seemed infatuated with the band – or more to the point, him. This could either be creepy or work to their advantage. Shaking hands with his new photographer and her assistant, he welcomed them to the team. Peering closely at Kanade, he could see hidden pain shuttered behind her eyes. Although he was curious, it wasn't his place to ask. If she wanted to speak to him about it, then she would. "Rage, do you know where's the best place in New York to get your hair dyed? I'm ready for a big change and this color won't work anymore."

Rage seemed taken aback for a few seconds before she told him, "You're in luck. XMR has an in-house stylist for our current artists that I can set you up with. Was there a certain time or day that you wanted it done?"

"I want to get it done today if possible. I can't stand this color anymore."

"Okay, I'll see what I can do. Anyone else want to go with him while we're getting this done?"

Hiro and Fujisaki nodded in the negative. They were fine with their current look. Kanade raised her hand. "I'd like to go with Shindou-san, Reiji-sama. If I'm to be the photographer for an up-and-coming rock band, I should look the part as well."

Rage nodded in approval as she made the appropriate phone call. Glancing back up, she covered the mouthpiece and said, "You're in…the appointment is in a few minutes. Go with Bill and he'll show you where to go."

The others said they'd meet him back at the townhouse Rage had purchased for them. Glimpsing over at his companion, he asked, "So, Kanade, what brings you to New York?"

Her mouth set in a thin line, she replied, "Personal issues…otherwise I might not have come here. They were my concluding factor in my decision to leave Japan."

Somehow he sensed that she was in the same boat he was. "Same here…I'm guessing relationship issues." At her nod, he smiled sadly. "Well, at least we have each other, right? If you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I'm there for you…but I don't do so well as a drinking buddy. I'm kind of a lightweight when it comes to liquor."

That last comment made her laugh when he said it. "Don't worry; I'm not looking to get plowed or anything. I think I vented all of my anger before I left Japan."

Placing his hands behind his head, he nodded as memories flashed before his eyes. "Felt good, didn't it? I hope you made the jerk regret ever pissing you off."

"I didn't hear anything from him before I left, so I guess he didn't want anything to do with me. My mother promised to keep me updated on anything that happens back home. Although I had some great friends who would have supported me, I wanted this chance to get away. I know you feel the same way, Shindou-san."

Stopping suddenly, he placed a hand on Kanade's shoulder. "First things first, quit calling me 'Shindou-san'…it makes me feel old. You don't have to be stiff and formal with me! Just plain Shuichi will do." Hearing her sudden laughter had him confused. "Did I say something funny?"

Kanade stopped laughing as she wiped tears from the corners of her eyes. "It's not that, Shuichi. You remind me of a good friend back in Japan. His whole personality and outlook on life…you really remind me of those things. Man, I'm missing Naruto already."

Bill cleared his throat to get their attention. "Claire's waiting for you inside. Good luck."

"Ready if you are!"

*************************************************************************************

_I've got a brand new attitude  
and I'm gonna wear it tonight.  
I'm gonna get in trouble.  
I wanna start a fight…_

A small-scale salon awaited them as they walked through the double doors. Walking towards them was a young woman who stood about 5'8. But what attracted their attention wasn't her trendy clothing, but her deep, red hair.

"That color can't be real, can it?" Kanade whispered to Shuichi.

"You never know."

"Welcome! My name's Claire and I'll be your stylist today! Was there anything in particular that you wanted done?" Noticing their stares directed at her hair, she laughed. "That's the common reaction when people see my hair. Like it? I used Manic Panic's Vampire Red™ hair color. You know, their colors are pretty amazing. Want to see what I've got in stock?"

Shuichi and Kanade both nodded as they followed Claire. Shuichi was instantly drawn to a color called Black & Blue™. "Claire, I want to use this color. Would it be possible to get some streaks of another color over it?" At her nod, he smiled. "Sweet…this is gonna rock!" Browsing the other color selections, he decided to go with Divine Wine™ as the one for his streaks. Kanade was standing next to him, her brow furrowed in concentration as she looked over the colors. Jokingly he said, "Kanade, you're not being asked to dismantle a bomb or anything…it's just hair color! Just pick whatever you like!"

Picking up a jar called Deadly Nightshade™, she told Claire, "I want my hair streaked with this."

Shuichi whistled at the color. "Now _that's_ magenta! And people always claimed that _my_ hair was too pink!"

*************************************************************************************

_So…  
So what, I'm still a rock star.  
I got my rock moves  
and I don't need you.  
And guess what?  
I'm havin more fun.  
And now that were done,  
I'm gonna show you tonight._

Claire whirled the chair around and let Shuichi see the finished product. "So…what do you think? You _definitely_ look like a rock star now, baby!"

Shuichi tilted his head as the black and blue colors shimmered under the intense lighting. Deep burgundy streaks highlighted his bangs and at different sections of his hair. Gone was the pink shade he had once sported. To him it was like breaking with his past once he got rid of it. He smirked as he looked at his reflection. "Claire, you did an awesome job! This is a lot better than when I did the color myself. What do you think, Kanade?"

A thumbs up was his answer. Still seated under the hair dryer, she was waiting for her own color job to finish up. "That's definitely a look, Shuichi! It looks good!" A shrill buzz rent the air as the timer near her dryer went off.

Shuichi watched as the foil was taken out of her hair, revealing dark magenta stripes over her wheat-blonde hair. The contrast of the dark color against her light hair was breathtaking. A few minutes later, she was ready to leave with him.

_I'm alright.  
I'm just fine.  
And you're a tool so,  
so what.  
I am a rock star.  
I got my rock moves.  
And I don't want you tonight._

Claire applauded as she looked the two over. "No one can say that you don't fit in now. All you need now is some stylin' threads and you'll be golden! If you ever need your hair done again, you know where to find me!"

As they left the salon, they saw Bill waiting for them. If the man's raised eyebrows were any indication, then they'd done a good job. "I must say…that's _definitely_ a change. Are you ready to go to your townhouse now?"

"Lead the way. It's time to show the others what we've done." A new life and a new record company…now he had new hair to match. That thought alone almost made him laugh out loud. Looking over at Kanade, he mentally added new friends to the equation. Yes…life was good and he didn't need Yuki mucking things up for him again. He hadn't quite decided what he'd do if Yuki _did_ try to contact him. Yeah, like _that_ was ever going to happen! That'd be like Tohma actually apologizing to him, which equated hell freezing over to him or some grand scale apocalypse. As he got into the waiting limo, he decided to take things one day at a time.

_You weren't fair.  
You never were.  
You want it all, but that's not fair.  
I gave you life.  
I gave my all.  
You weren't there, you let me fall._

*************************************************************************************

So, we've now introduced our cross-over characters. Of course there will be flashback action as we delve into _why_ Kanade decided to come to New York.

Chapter 6 Preview: As they settle into the townhouse, Kanade decides to tell Shuichi why she came here. As her past is revealed, Shuichi finds that he can relate to her. But what of the ones they left behind in Japan? Will they just let them go without a fight?

Song used in story: _So What_ – Pink


End file.
